An actress who stood in as Hayden Panettiere’s body double on the TV show Nashville has opened up about how looking too much like the Heroes star turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Kilee Overley spoke out in a multi-part Instagram Story following the tragic news. Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16, at the Greenville property where the actress had been staying. The Greenville Police Department said its preliminary investigation “has not indicated any signs of foul play”, while the Greenville County Coroner’s Office said there were no signs of physical trauma. The cause and manner of death are yet to be determined and the case remains under investigation. Family and loved ones continue to honour the late star, as do her co-stars and crew members from the many TV shows and movies she appeared in over the years. Credit: ABC One of her most iconic roles was as Nashville’s Juliette Barnes, a country-pop singer whose turbulent personal life played out alongside her rise through the music industry. Panettiere famously performed her own vocals as Juliette, recording dozens of songs throughout the show’s six-season run, a number of which reached the Billboard charts. Filming also brought Panettiere to Nashville in real life, with the star relocating to Tennessee when production began in 2012 and eventually buying a home there. Looking like Hayden Panettiere completely changed Nashville body double’s life It was during Panettiere’s time playing Juliette that Kilee Overley found herself becoming part of the show too, despite originally auditioning for a completely different role. Oh dear, Hayden's stunt double in Nashville, Kilee Overley 💔 https://t.co/bHBCZycIoJ pic.twitter.com/E9veRjjI7r — Edward Burger (not Berger) ❤️🌈 (@edwardbrgr) August 17, 2026 Taking to Instagram following the news, Overley wrote, “This one hurt. Let me tell you why. My love for the city of Nashville came from my experience working on the show.” The former actress explained that she went to a casting call to audition to play one of Juliette’s entourage. When the casting crew said they couldn’t consider her for the part, she went to walk away, only to be told that the reason was due to her resemblance to Panettiere. The team led her to the director, who immediately said “yes” and sent her to the hair and makeup trailer. “With a fresh cut and colour, and early morning call times for the foreseeable future, I was given the opportunity to be Hayden’s stand-in and body double,” Overley continued. She then shared BTS photos of the many opportunities this gave her, including on the set of Nashville, Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors movie and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. Overley finished her story by writing, “With a huge influence of the show Nashville and the coincidence of mine and Hayden’s similarities. If you haven’t listened to her audiobook yet, you should. Credit: ABC “I hate knowing that she didn’t have the best experience during that time, but if she only knew what it did for other people, I think that news alone would have made her smile.” It’s one of many, many tributes that have emerged, with everyone who encountered Panettiere throughout her life praising her kindness. As one X user said in response to Overley’s post, “Imagine how good of a person you have to be to have literally everyone and their mama praising you? Actors, crew members, stunt doubles, organizations from 2007… she’ll be so missed, my god.” Nashville co-star Charles Esten recalls meeting Panettiere Her Nashville co-star Charles Esten, who played Deacon Claybourne on the show, similarly remembered Panettiere as an “extraordinarily talented” performer and a close friend. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Charles Esten (@charlesesten) In a tribute, Esten recalled first meeting Panettiere during his initial Nashville audition, when he opened the door after performing to discover her listening from the other side. Rather than appearing embarrassed, she smiled, clapped and told him, “That was so good!” Esten said the encouragement came at exactly the moment he needed it. After eventually landing the role, Panettiere remembered their encounter and greeted him on set, sparking a friendship that continued throughout the series. “What a great gift it was to act with her, sing with her, and to just be her friend,” he wrote, adding that she was “always extremely kind” to his family. Highlighting that he and his wife Patty Hanson are “heartbroken that she is gone”, Esten finished, “God bless you, Hayden. Rest In Peace and Light.” Featured image credit: ABC/Instagram/@kileeoverley Post navigation Next story
